With the backing of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, Chairman Danny Yearwood on Monday issued a written reprimand of the chief of Barrow County Emergency Services over the costly lapse of Barrow County’s license to operate emergency medical services.

The reprimand states that the state license is so fundamental to the operation of the department that its lapse reflected a “gross deficiency” in Chief Dennis Merrifield’s job performance for which he “could, and perhaps should, be immediately terminated.”

But to avoid the loss of yet another chief, Yearwood agreed to keep Merrifield in the position “with the understanding that any future failures on your part will be grounds for immediate termination.”

The reprimand cites the county’s “substantial” loss of ambulance fees – estimated by the county’s CFO to be over $159,000 – as well as the county’s legal exposure from having provided unlicensed medical services during the 32-day lapse period.

“It is simply inexcusable that you allowed this to occur,” states the document, which was written by county attorney Angela Davis on Yearwood’s behalf.

In the reprimand the chairman also is sharply critical of how Merrifield reacted after learning that the license had expired Aug. 27.

For the full story, see the Dec. 21 issue of the Barrow Journal in print or online e-edition.

All of the clerical workers there at the county and no one had this on the electronic calendar to renew. My understanding, this has happened before. Penny Clack, the clerk or whatever her title is let this happen before. Seems if you are responsible for keeping up with the paperwork, it is that person who should be terminated.

This guy comes in less than a year ago and is trying to get the department under control after Yearwood has ruined it and has run off everybody else...now this guy is the fall guy for Dumbwood and the commission.

I'm sure his hands are now tied to fire everwho below him was suppose to be keeping up with this kind of stuff.

Don't know the guy, but I knew he would be the scape goat when I read the first article...not the clowns who actually get paid to keep up with this. Some will say it was his responsibility...I say it is the clerical staff below the department head that let this fall between the cracks...but, you can't blame a lowly clerk, not a big enough fish to make a big splash for the folks.

I get it now promote more to HQ and get less done. Should have hired someone that has expierence in running a merged department. His resume did not include ambulances, just non transporting fire trucks...Just saying

Oh you clueless few when will you learn that old old lesson that says it is wiser to keep your mouth shut and let people think your a fool than to open your mouth and prove them right. Merrifield never was and never will be a Yearwood man he is under the thumb of Steve Worley and Ben Hendrix. It time for you foolish few to wake up and realize what is really happening here it time to realize that people like Merrifield are born users and have no stake in what happens in Barrow County and only want to be credited and always willing to pass the blame to others Barrow County was only suppose to be a stepping stone in his grand plans. Worley and Hendrix will use anyone to discredit Yearwood simply because anything and anyone Yearwood thinks can do the job Worley and Hendrix will fight to stop from happening. What occurred with the EMS license and the fact it reduced revenues for the Fire and EMS department by at least 10% should have led to immediate termination but Worley and Hendrix nicks that since that would have to been approved in the open and not while behind the closed doors of executive session. So that only left Yearwood with the option of written reprimand. Come on sheep wake up and realize this is a political fight. The Barrow Journal has done an amazing job of keeping this in the forefront and in a open format not behind closed doors. However the issue still is Merrifield allowed the license that allowed Barrow County to operate as an EMS service to expire clearly a major issue since his job description clearly states he should maintain all licenses required by federal, and state laws.

If I read your ramblings correctly, you want to place all the blame on Chief Merrifield being reprimanded as opposed to being fired on Mr. Worley and Mr. Hendix. Are you suggesting that they saved his job? Mr. Yearwood didn't call the executive session - in fact, it was clear to those of us in attendance at the commission meeting that nothing was going to be done until Mr. Hendrix insisted on an executive session. Yearwood doesn't have the authority to fire anyone at the department level so it is clear to me that he was planning on taking NO ACTION until his hand was forced by the rest of the commission.

Rather than spend your time name calling, why don't you provide some specifics as to what I said that was inaccurate? I am not concerned that others might see me as a fool. No doubt a few of Danny's close confidantes, of whom you are no doubt one, find my comments objectionable, but nothing that I said is incorrect. That is one of the reasons I do not hide behind the cloak of anonymity. I hope you have Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Well stated. If only everyone in Barrow County would realize that it is not the fault of only one but the error of all commissioners then maybe Barrow County could move forward instead of waddling in the mess we are in now.

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